This festive season, Starbucks is adding a touch of joy to the streets of London and Manchester with new special builds that are part of the brand’s global Holiday campaign.
The designs feature drawings by Geoff McFetridge of The Directors Bureau, whose artwork brings the story behind Drawn Together to life. The global ad, created by Anomaly, first aired in November and continues to share the warmth of the festive season with coffee drinkers and partners across the globe. The OOH builds, ideated by Anomaly London and delivered in partnership with Havas Media, feature bespoke McFetridge drawings across high-impact sites in London and Manchester.
True to the brand’s roots, the spot shines a light on the simple joy of drawing with Sharpies. The animated story follows two handcrafted baristas who dance across Starbucks Holiday Red Cups as they, along with their coffee drinkers, find their way back to one another. The artwork captures small moments of holiday connection, setting each scene in a timeless, festive world that feels unmistakably Starbucks.
“The holidays can be full-on, so we wanted to make something that breathes within the madness. We started with a Sharpie on a cup…the everyday handwriting of Starbucks, that humble line that writes your name also sketches our world.” said Clara Mulligan, Chief Design Officer & Managing Partner at Anomaly London. “Geoff’s Sharpie drawings have instant humanity, and it felt unmistakably Starbucks from the first sketch. His simple drawings, made by hand, telling a small story about people finding their way back to each other, and done with a lot of care”.
The beloved track “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)” by The Proclaimers plays through the ad, celebrating the power of human connection and the feeling that being together is the best place to be during the holiday season. The holiday ad has rolled out across UK & USA channels, as well as local adaptations on digital and social channels in Türkiye, Portugal, Spain, Azerbaijan and France.
The new OOH builds will brighten the streets of London and Manchester with McFetridge’s drawings, which capture familiar seasonal moments from placing the star on the tree to untangling Christmas lights. Each build is finished with real Christmas lights that bring the illustrated scenes to life with a warm, festive glow on winter evenings. Nostalgic yet playful, the artwork reflects the realities of the holidays and reminds passersby that warmth often comes from simple, everyday connections. Produced in partnership with Grand Visual (OOH Production Agency) and Global Street Art (Production Partner), the special builds are now live at high-footfall sites including Jamestown Road in London and The Hare & Hounds in Manchester, bringing festive cheer to both cities.
The new Holiday campaign reflects Starbucks commitment to advancing its Back to Starbucks strategy, by reaffirming the brand promise to return to what has always set it apart, a welcoming coffeehouse where people gather and connect, and where we serve the finest coffee, handcrafted by our skilled baristas.
“Drawn Together is all about those small, thoughtful gestures—a handcrafted coffee, a festive doodle on a red cup—that can spark meaningful connections,” said Esther van Onselen, vp brand & customer experience, Starbucks EMEA. “This campaign brings our Back to Starbucks strategy to life by celebrating what makes us iconic: our craft, our people, and the moments of connection that happen every day in our coffeehouses”.
